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Tag Archives: Ian McKellen
Review: Cats (2019)
I’m not trying to offend anyone who genuinely enjoys Andrew Lloyd Webber’s smash hit musical – I like some strange things too – but I personally found CATS on stage unbearable. Even the better songs on the soundtrack just cling … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged Andrew Lloyd-Webber, Cats, Francesca Hayward, Ian McKellen, Idris Elba, James Corden, Jennifer Hudson, Judi Dench, Musical, Rebel Wilson, Tom Hooper
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Review: X-Men: The Last Stand (2006)
Remember how for the opening flashback of X-MEN: THE LAST STAND they smoothed out Patrick Stewart’s face to an alarming degree to make him look 25 years younger but just gave Ian McKellen some hair dye and a hat? Maybe … Continue reading
Looking Back and Looking Forward: 2015
It’s that time of year, where every critic professional and amateur alike publishes some sort of Best of the Year list. This time last year, I thought 2014 was a mixed bag. 2015 may have been even more so. There … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Film Feature
Tagged Adam Driver, Alan Bennett, Alex Garland, Alex Jennings, Alicia Vikander, Aloha, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Benicio del Toro, Bill Condon, Bradley Cooper, Bridge of Spies, Cameron Crowe, Carol, Cate Blanchett, Cop Car, Daisy Ridley, Denis Villeneuve, Domhnall Gleeson, Elizabeth Olsen, Emily Blunt, Emma Stone, Ex Machina, Fantastic Four, Film, Focus, George Miller, Harrison Ford, Ian McKellen, James Cameron, JJ Abrams, Josh Trank, Joss Whedon, Kevin Bacon, Kingsman: The Secret Service, Mad Max: Fury Road, Maggie Smith, Margot Robbie, Mark Rylance, Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation, Mortdecai, Movies, Mr. Holmes, Oscar Isaac, Paul Bettany, Rooney Mara, Sicario, Spectre, Star Wars Episode VII, Terminator Genesis, The Force Awakens, The Lady in the Van, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Tom Hanks, Turbo Kid, Will Smith
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Review: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies Extended Edition (2015)
It’s over. We now have Peter Jackson’s final Middle Earth Extended Edition. It doesn’t dramatically improve THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES but it certainly isn’t a pointless exercise in making your lean movie unwieldy like extended DESOLATION OF SMAUG. … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged Benedict Cumberbatch, Blockbuster, Christopher Lee, Fantasy, Film, Ian McKellen, James Nesbitt, Ken Stott, King Kong, Martin Freeman, Movies, Peter Jackson, Richard Armitage, Stephen Hunter, Sylvester McCoy, The Hobbit, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, Warner Brothers, William Kircher
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Review: Mr. Holmes (2015)
Ian McKellen and Bill Condon have done it again, but in perhaps the exact opposite fashion to how they approached their stunning not-really-biopic of James Wale, GODS AND MONSTERS. In that film they wrapped a real person in the trappings … Continue reading
Review: The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies (2014)
It’s at an end. Peter Jackson has left Middle-Earth behind. For real this time. Probably. THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES gives the lengthiest chapter in Jackson’s career so far an appropriately grand ending, but wisely he doesn’t … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged Aiden Turner, Benedict Cumberbatch, Billy Connolly, Blockbuster, Cate Blanchett, Evangeline Lilly, Fantasy, Film, Graham McTavish, Hugo Weaving, Ian McKellen, Ken Stott, Lee Pace, Luke Evans, Martin Freeman, Mikael Persbrandt, Monty Python, Movies, Oliver!, Orlando Bloom, Peter Jackson, Richard Armitage, Ryan Gage, Stephen Fry, Stephen Hunter, Sylvester McCoy, The Hobbit, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, The Two Towers, Tolkien, Weta Workshop
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Review: The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Extended Edition (2014)
I’ve been a massive fan of Peter Jackson’s Extended Editions since that chunky, green FELLOWSHIP OF THE RING box set first appeared on my DVD shelf over a decade ago. It was followed by a chunky burgundy TWO TOWERS and … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged Adam Brown, Benedict Cumberbatch, Carry On, Fantasy, Film, Ian McKellen, Lee Pace, Martin Freeman, Michael Mizrahi, Mikael Persbrandt, Movies, Peter Jackson, Richard Armitage, Stephen Fry, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Hobbit, The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug, The Lord of the Rings, The Return of the King, The Two Towers
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Biopics: 3 of The Weirdest and Most Wonderful
Biopics have understandably remained popular throughout cinema’s history. Take a famous figure who lead an interesting life, cast a (usually) big star to play them, and half the battle is already over for any half-decent filmmaker. There are a lot … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Film Feature
Tagged Amadeus, Andy Kaufman, Biopic, Brendan Fraser, Drama, Emily Watson, Film, Geoffrey Rush, Gods and Monsters, Ian McKellen, James Whale, Jim Carrey, Lynn Redgrave, Man on the Moon, Milos Forman, Miriam Margolyes, Movies, Mozart, Paul Giamatti, Peter Sellers, Peter Vaughan, Sophia Loren, Stanley Kubrick, Stanley Tucci, The Life and Death of Peter Sellers, The People vs. Larry Flint, Universal, Universal Horror
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Review: X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014)
It was a tall order for Bryan Singer – who returned to helm the film franchise he fathered after a decade’s absence – to bring together two ensemble movie casts in an ambitious (and perhaps foolhardy) time travel story that … Continue reading
Posted in Film, Film Review
Tagged Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Adan Canto, Blockbuster, Booboo Stewart, Bryan Singer, Daniel Cudmore, Ellen Page, Evan Peters, Fan Bingbing, Film, Halle Berry, Hugh Jackman, Ian McKellen, James McAvoy, Jennifer Lawrence, JJ Abrams, John Ottman, Michael Fassbender, Movies, Nicholas Hoult, Omar Sy, Patrick Stewart, Peter Dinklage, Shawn Ashmore, Simon Kinberg, Star Trek, Superhero Movie, The Avengers, The Avengers: Age of Ultron, X-Men, X-Men 2, X-Men: Days of Future Past, X-Men: First Class
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SSP Thinks Film 
Top 10 Killer Henchmen (RIP Richard Kiel)
It really has been a tough year to be a film lover. The latest big screen icon to shuffle off his mortal coil is Richard Kiel, who died on Wednesday in hospital aged 74. A man with undeniable presence, Kiel … Continue reading →